Debris fire causes problems in Barbour Co.

A contractor working to clear the highway rights of way in Barbour County of leftover debris from Hurricane Sandy will have to find another way to get rid of the material. The workers chipped a large amount of the debris and started burning it last week in an area called Ford Run near Phillippi.

“He had all his burn permits through the DNR and the fire had been burning since last Thursday,” said Jim Ancell, Deputy Director of the Barbour County Office of Emergency Management. “But as it became more intense there was more smoke and some of the neighbors suffering from emphysema and other respiratory problems had called the DEP Air Quality Division.”

DEP made the decision to put out the fires after inspecting the blaze. Six piles of wood chips, measured approximately 30′ x 30′ and standing 30′ high were burning. It was a challenge to put out.

“It was all green wood that fell during the storm and it was all chipped so it was dense material,” said Ancell. “It wasn’t an open burn so it did generate a lot of smoke. “

Barbour County’s three volunteer fire departments got involved and called in for assistance from several surrounding counties to help. The county also hired a piece of heavy machinery to help out.

“An excavator spread the wood chips out and as it was spread out, the firemen sprayed water on it to extinguish it,” Ancell said.

A decision on an alternative way to get rid of the material is still up in the air. The DEP and the contractor will make the decision. Under the contract with the DOH, the contractor is responsible for the disposal of the debris.

Chris Lawrence

Chris Lawrence is the anchor of the MetroNews Morning News, heard weekday mornings from 6am-9am on MetroNews Stations across West Virginia. Chris is also the host of the award-winning West Virginia Outdoors, which can be heard Saturday morning at 7am on MetroNews. Chris has won numerous awards for coverage of hunting and fishing.

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The contract simply makes the debris the responsibility of the contractor to dispose of. They had permits with DEP and failed to monitor their burning.

DOH inspectors have been watching the contractors, but now that construction season is starting, District 7 is short handed as usual..... leading to contractors being lax in their work.

May 22, 2013 at 8:46 pm |

Levelheaded

Some people have nothing to do, except complain.

May 22, 2013 at 6:43 pm |

Big Jim

So maybe the two state agencies should get together before issuing a permit or revoking one? Typical bureaucracy at work in the great state of WV, no wonder we can’t get businesses to locate in WV. Maybe nobody greased the DEP’s hands on this one?